‘Stealth wealth’ fashion means out with bling, in with understatement

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When Gwyneth Paltrow went to court last spring, the specifics of the case (about a dustup on a tony ski hill) rapidly took a back seat to the Oscar-winner’s wardrobe. Attired in faultlessly understated separates from Loro Piana, Prada, The Row and her own G Label by Goop, Paltrow epitomized the concept of “stealth wealth.”

It’s a look that favours classic, timeless, quality pieces that might go unrecognized by the uninitiated but instantly signal opulence to those in the know.

“Stealth wealth is definitely – I wouldn’t call it a trend, it’s more of a lifestyle,” says Joseph Tang, the Toronto-based fashion director at luxe retailer Holt Renfrew.

“We actually have a lot of customers who shop vintage or second-hand and are always looking for pieces that speak to that minimalistic trend,” Tang says. Many recent design collections have been “taking inspiration from the era of ‘90s minimalism, with a focus on craftsmanship and quality of clothing.”

Celebrity fashion stylist Sarah D’Arcey of Vancouver says the trend “has come into fruition with the influence of media. For instance, the TV show Succession has brought the whole idea of quiet luxury with refined tailoring into the forefront.”

The theme is “money talks, but wealth listens.”

“People who are wealthy want to make an investment in something that will last but not date, and so I think that people are really buying into this idea of stealth wealth,” says D’Arcey, whose clients include actors Ludi Lin (Mortal Kombat), Youn Yuh-Jung (Oscar winner for Minari) and Skylar Astin (Pitch Perfect).

As a costume designer for screen and stage, Debra Hanson divides her time between Toronto and Stratford, Ont. She is responsible for those iconic red capes in The Handmaid’s Tale as well as the outspoken outfits worn by the Rose family on Schitt’s Creek. Her latest project is Atom Egoyan’s film Seven Veils, which debuted recently at the Toronto International Film Festival.

When you start accumulating all of the more conservative-but-classic pieces, you’re going to look refined.

Debra Hanson, costume designer for screen and stage

“It really all comes down to fabric and fit,” Hanson says. “One of the things we know you have to stay away from – and it’s actually quite difficult – is wearing only one design house. You have to be really careful of that, because people recognize logos, whether they’re real or knockoffs.

“The other thing is, if it’s subtle, it’s probably real. When you start accumulating all of the more conservative-but-classic pieces, you’re going to look refined,” she says. “On the street, you can see women and men who just have fantastic style. They might have a designer purse or jacket, but they wear it with ordinary jeans, something that anybody can afford, or they might wear it with something that they’ve found at Winners.”

To take one’s personal style from over-the-top to under-the-radar, “the first things you would look at toning down are your sunglasses and your jewellery. I would start with a really great pair of sunglasses, something very traditional like Ray-Ban, not Prada or Gucci,” says Hanson.

If you wear earrings, choose a simple stud or a hoop, “but not the big ones that the young girls wear. The really simple ones, but high quality,” she recommends.

A few classic pieces

D’Arcey says, “In the stealth-wealth category, women are wearing classic pieces, whether it’s a Cartier bracelet – the Love bracelet or the Knot bracelet – and then of course if they’re married or engaged, they’re wearing their jewellery, but not these over-the-top necklaces or rings: just these beautiful, subdued pieces.” A Bucheron bracelet or a chain by Anita Ko would be perfectly acceptable, she says.

As for the clothes themselves, whether for a man or a woman, the ultimate stealth-wealth capsule wardrobe starts with “a great button-down shirt” (for men) or “a beautiful silk blouse” (for women), says D’Arcey.

Tang favours “a super-crisp cotton poplin shirt, oversized; Jil Sander does that really well.”

He also recommends looking to Ermenegildo Zegna for fabulously understated trousers, especially the new, roomier cut of men’s pants designed by Alessandro Sarto for the brand, says Tang. “And there’s also an oversized, tailored, high-waisted, men’s-inspired trouser done in wool from a brand that we carry called Akris.”

Next, an exquisite cashmere sweater, with “thicker-gauge knots in beautiful beiges or neutral colours,” Tang says. The undisputed leaders in this niche are Brunello Cucinelli and Loro Piana.

Top it all off with “a very fine wool overcoat in a camel, navy or grey, something that will last forever,” says D’Arcey. Max Mara is one designer that fills this bill admirably, while Tang suggests a double-faced, single-breasted, beige, navy or black cashmere coat from The Row.

The handbag is key

The bag must be exquisite but next-to-invisible. Luckily, the choices are many. “We’re actually seeing a really big comeback of the ‘it bag,’ and now it’s all about that quiet luxury,” says Tang. “I think the secret sauce for success with a lot of these brands is it’s not a logo that’s identifying what that bag is; it’s the design.”

Bottega Veneta, Loewe and The Row are appropriate options, and of course some classics from Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Balmain, Givenchy or Chanel, whether new or vintage.

“People in the know, know,” Hanson says.

Finally, the shoes. D’Arcey says “the best shoes in this stealth-wealth wardrobe are something like a leather boot that’s going to last forever, a Prada loafer, a Gucci sandal or a great pair of sneakers – specifically white sneakers.”

Tailoring is recommended.

“I think the biggest part, if you really have the funds, is that your clothes are probably going to be custom-tailored for you,” says Hanson, who says that Eugene Levy’s suits for Schitt’s Creek were tailored to the last eighth of an inch so they would appear to be more costly than they actually were.

“That is the ultimate thing about people who have wealth. They make sure they have clothes that fit. They can be obsessed about it,” she says. “They have personal seamstresses who fit their clothes for them. Unless it’s couture – that’s a whole other ballgame!”

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